Jon
He and Arya had talked during their entire walk to and from the vault. They had talked about what had happened to her, what had happened to him and, strangely, about what had happened to some of the people that they had both come across in their journeys. He would have to send a raven to Castle Black later to inform them of Yoren's fate so they could lay his memory to rest and remove his name from the list of deserters.
When they walked up to Sandor Clegane, Jon thrust the chest that his Dragons were in towards him and said, "Here, Hound. Take your ransom and go. I'm not unappreciative of what you've done, bringing my sister and Lady Poole home and returning Theon to us in chains, but I think we both know that we're all better off if we don't sleep under the same roof."
Sandor barked out a short, mirthless laugh and said, "Do I frighten you that much, boy? You scared that I might have an attack of conscience and try to end your rebellion in the night?"
Jon just smiled as Ghost padded up alongside and bared his teeth in a silent snarl. Then he said with a nod of his head towards his direwolf, "No. I'm worried about what he might do to you in the middle of the night. They call you 'The Hound,' Sandor. But have you ever seen what a direwolf does to a man? I've watched Ghost rip men limb from limb, and he does it as easily as you or I would crush an ant under our boots. Did you know that wolves tend to eat hounds? Perhaps it's best for you to stay in the Wintertown outside the gates for now. You're free to stay there as long as you like. The inn should be rebuilt and open again in a week or so and the tavern was just finished as well."
Sandor looked long and hard at the massive direwolf that stood next to Jon before he said, "Aye. Aye, you may be right about that. I expect we'll both sleep better if I stay there instead. One favor though, Stark?"
"What's that?"
"Should you ever march south against King's Landing, let me know. I won't serve you, I won't be one of your sworn swords, I won't bow and kneel and kiss your arse like one of your bannermen. But if you give me a chance to kill my brother, I'll march at your side until he's dead."
Jon was a bit nonplussed at that. Kill his brother? Gods, he couldn't even imagine...
Arya broke in when she noticed he wasn't saying anything and said, "I'll explain later. It's a long story."
"Right. Alright Sandor. When I march south, I'll be sure to let you know and you can ride with us. But should you prove false, I'll take off your head myself."
This time the laugh was much more real and the man told him, "You mean you'll try. You wouldn't be the first man to try and kill me and you won't be the last. But I won't be running off to the fucking Lannisters. You can kill them all for all I care."
"Very well." Turing to one of the guards standing behind Sandor, Jon said, "Donnel? Could you and Arthor escort Sandor to a fitting accommodation in the Wintertown, please? And while you're there, grab yourselves a drink from the tavern." And with that, Jon flipped them each a copper.
"Yes, Your Grace!" both men responded vigorously. The prospect of a few mugs of ale or maybe even a tumble in the sheets with one of the whores that had already shown up outside his gates made both men's days brighter.
Turning back to Arya, he said, "Well, I've got to get back to the Great Hall. Theon's sister Asha is in there and I'm trying to get her to surrender before I turn Lord Glover loose on her men and slaughter them all. I never imagined being a Lord or being King meant doing so much shit that you don't want to do. The last thing I want is to show any mercy at all to the fucking Ironborn. But the North needs every man we can get. I can't fritter away what strength we have left chasing after murderers and thieves. I've got too many wars happening at once and not enough allies."
"Jon, are you alright?"
"Aye, I'm fine Arya." Jon took off his crown and looked at it in his hands. Then he said, "What no one ever tells you is just how much one of these things weighs. It's no more than a few ounces of bronze and iron, but when you put it on, you feel the weight of every bit of trouble and every problem that all your people are facing. There is no one else that you can pass responsibility onto, no one to reverse a judgement you made in error, no one to tell you what to do. It all begins and ends with you. It's not a nice feeling to be honest.
"But gods, Arya, I've wanted this my whole life. And I hate myself for that. Ever since I was a boy, all I've wanted was to be Lord of Winterfell. To be the one that everyone turned to in their time of need. I just never thought about what it would actually cost me. And now that I have what I've always wanted, I'd give it all away in a heartbeat if it meant bringing Robb and Bran and Rickon and Sansa back. To have them here with us. But I know that it won't. So I've got to do my best to be the best King I can possibly be. I need to avoid the mistakes that Robb and Father made. Otherwise we're all as good as dead. But fucking hells, this is the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life."
Arya smiled up at him and told him, "But you're not alone anymore, Jon. I'm here now. And we'll find a way to free Sansa so she can come home too. And if you believe Theon, Bran and Rickon are both out there somewhere. We just need to find them. And with all of us together, we'll win. The Boltons, the Lannisters, the Greyjoys. They won't be able to stand against us when we're united. We'll be a pack again. And the pack always survives."
Jon smiled at that and even laughed a little. Which seemed to make Arya think he was laughing at her because she punched him in the arm and said, "What's so funny?"
"Nothing. It's just that, well, in the letter that Robb sent me naming me his heir, he said the same thing little sister. That it was time he and I stopped being lone wolves and started being a pack again. And he was right. Look what being lone wolves has already cost us. Sansa's a prisoner, I was exiled at the Wall, everyone thought you were dead and as far as we knew, both Bran and Rickon were dead as well. Even if they aren't dead, they still haven't been seen or heard from in at least a year.
"From now on, we stay together. Agreed?"
"Agreed."
"Good. Now, would you care to join me in the Great Hall?"
"Gladly."
When they reached the Great Hall, all of his Lords and Ladies were already present and all rose as he entered and stood before the High Seat of the Starks, with Arya beside him. Jon stood proudly before them all and proclaimed in a loud voice, "My Lords, My Ladies! It it with great happiness that I have an announcement to make. Not long ago, a group of people were brought into Winterfell under guard. Among them was Sandor Clegane, the Hound. As many here know, he was the sworn shield of Joffery Baratheon. Well, the man turned his cloak and fled. But while fleeing, he chanced across someone and the man found enough honor in himself to do the right thing. For standing beside me is the person he found. My Lords, My Ladies, Princess Arya Stark, my sister, is home!"
Turning his face to look at his sister, he continued, "Arya, little sister, welcome home!"
And the Great Hall erupted in cheers and the sound of men pounding the tables. From more than one voice a chant was heard, repeating over and over, "Winterfell! Winterfell! Winterfell!"
Jon finally raised his hand to call for quiet. When the hall quieted enough that he could be heard, he continued, "And there's more! Along with Princess Arya, also returned to us is Lady Jeyne Poole, the daughter of my father's Steward, Lord Vayon Poole. Lady Poole has had a hard journey from King's Landing back home. I ask you all to be considerate of that with her and excuse her absence from the Great Hall now. And finally, we have one more piece of news. The traitor and turncloak Theon Greyjoy has been captured and returned to us in chains. On the morrow, we will hold his trial here in the Great Hall and I shall pass sentence on him then."
This announcement elicited yet more cheers along with many growls of anger and quite a few suggestions of things that he could do to Theon to see that he got the justice he deserved.
"All excellent suggestions! But for now, we have business to attend to." Looking to Ser Marlon, he asked the White Harbor knight, "Ser Marlon? Would you please escort Lady Greyjoy back down to us so we may conclude our affairs here?"
"At once, Your Grace."
While the Knight and a few men-at-arms went to fetch his prisoner, Jon seated himself in the seat that every Lord of Winterfell and King in the North had sat in for thousands of years. The ancient stone had been worn smooth by the countless number of arses that had polished it over that time, though the wolf heads at the ends of the arms could still be seen. It was on them that Jon lightly rested his hands while he waited for Asha to join them. When the Greyjoy entered, her eyes darted from Jon's face to Arya's and back. She also took note of the sword that Arya wore at her hip. Before she could ask, Jon told her, "Lady Asha, allow me to introduce my sister, Princess Arya of House Stark."
"Your sister? I thought she was dead."
Arya answered, "No, not dead. Just preoccupied for the last few years. But I'm home now and ready to help throw out the trash."
Asha got visibly angry at that last remark, but Arya simply smirked at her. Before things could get out of hand, Jon pointed at the chair behind her and told her, "Sit, Lady Greyjoy."
Once she was seated across from him, he continued their discussion from where they had left off earlier. He said, "My Lady, I've thought about your proposal and while it has some merit, to be frank, I need more. Too many of your men have raped and killed indiscriminately across the North for me to just let them walk home. So here's what I have to offer you.
"First, you will order all your men in the North to surrender to me. Second, any highborn that surrenders will be accorded good treatment in line with their station. Third, your men will be disarmed and placed in holding camps until the situation with your uncle is resolved. Should he accept our offer, you and your men will join us on the Stony Shore for the "exchange." Neither you nor your men will be armed. I don't trust you that far. After the battle, as long as you and your men act honorably, you'll have gained some small amount of my trust and we will allow you to return home with any man who has not committed any crimes against my people.
"Fourth, before the 'meeting' with your uncle, any man who has reason to fear retribution for his actions in the North will be allowed to take the Black with no questions asked and the North will not seek any vengeance against them. Fifth, any man accused of crimes against the people of the North will be given a fair trial. Should they be found guilty, I will give them the choice of joining the Night's Watch or losing their head. And I assure you Lady Greyjoy, that will be the extent of my mercy. By the laws of Gods and man I could slaughter you all for what you and your kind have done to my home.
"Sixth, the Iron Islands will surrender one highborn hostage from each of Houses Botley, Drumm, Goodbrother, Harlaw and Tawney to be held in the North to ensure your good conduct. These hostages will be treated as wards in accord with their station. Should you prove true to your word, they will be returned to you at a rate of one per year starting in seven years. Seventh, you will immediately release any and all highborn hostages taken by any Iron Islander upon your return to Pyke. These hostages will be returned to the North at Torrhen's Square within the month. The Ironborn hostages will be delivered to me at that time as well.
"Eighth, upon your return to Pyke, you will gather your fleet to assist the North in making war on the Lannisters. You will place yourself and your men under my command for the duration of the War. Any plunder or Southorn hostages you may take will be yours to do with as you will. Tenth, upon the conclusion of the war, you will retain your independence and remain a free kingdom. But under no circumstances will you ever raid, reave or plunder any lands under my rule or the rule of my descendants ever again. Should you ignore this and launch raids regardless, every Ironborn hostage held in my lands will be executed and when we reach that pile of rocks you call home, we will burn Pyke to the ground, raze every keep and holdfast we find, and we will poison every well, every spring, every stream and we will salt your fields so that no living thing will ever again call the Iron Islands home. I swear it by the Old Gods and the New.
"Once my terms are met, the North and the Iron Islands will enter a state of peace and I will do all in my power to encourage trade between your lands and mine. The Iron Islands has precious little timber, while the North is covered in strong, tall trees. We can trade lumber for gold or iron ore. And we will pay a premium for any dragonglass you may have on the islands.
"These are my terms Lady Greyjoy. You may accept them or you may reject them. But these are the only terms you will receive. Reject them, and we will slaughter all your men when and where we find them. There will be no more negotiation."
While he spoke, Asha's face had grown more and more white. She was gripping the arms of her chair in what looked like a death grip. When she finally answered, her voice was tight and came from a mouth that was so tightly clenched it was a wonder she could speak at all. She said, "You're forcing me into a corner, Stark. Either we fight and we die, or you force me into a 'peace' that is so lopsided that I'll be lucky to keep my head on the Iron Islands."
"So tell your people that it was Euron that cost you the war. Tell them that he abandoned nearly a thousand good men to die in the North and it was you that rescued them. Tell your people whatever they need to hear to support you. Hells, promise them the wealth of Lannisport. That should get your lot of thieves excited."
Jon could see the anger in Asha's face, the way her cheeks and forehead were beat red and the way the muscles and tendons in her neck stood out as she clenched her jaw. But truth be told, he didn't give a fuck. He was giving her and her band of pond scum better terms than they deserved. And she was lucky she was even getting this. He had to keep fighting the urge to say "fuck it" and leading his men out to kill them all.
"How dare you," Asha said.
Jon cut her off. He said, "I dare, Lady Greyjoy, because I've won. Your uncle has abandoned you and your men here to whatever fate my bannerman and I decide is fitting. And you are well aware of that. We've burned your ships and captured your men. You yourself are a prisoner. Take the deal, My Lady. Save your men and save your people from Euron. You know better than I how twisted he is and how bad his rule will be for the Iron Islands. But you can stop him by simply accepting the terms I am offering. It all comes down to what your decision is."
Jon had become a fairly good reader of people since he left Winterfell for the Wall three years ago and if he was anything close to right, Asha wanted nothing more than to tell him to go fuck himself and die with a weapon in her hand at that moment. But behind the angry exterior, he could see into her eyes and he could see the defeat in them. He had her, and she knew it.
The defiance that Lady Greyjoy had been showing went out of her suddenly, like a candle being snuffed out. In a barely audible voice she said, "I accept your terms, Your Grace. But know this, I would gladly kill you where you sit for forcing me into this."
"I don't expect your admiration, Lady Greyjoy. Only your adherence to the terms I've laid out before you." Turning to one of the servants that stood behind him, Jon nodded at the girl and she hurried off to the kitchens to fetch bread and salt for him to offer Lady Greyjoy. When it arrived, the two of them partook of it together. Jon then said to her, "My Lady, in acknowledgment of our agreement on peace terms, I have some information to give you. My sister is not the only one to return to Winterfell this day. While he was escorting my sister home, Sandor Clegane, you may know him as the Hound, also rescued Lady Jeyne Poole. Her father was my father's Steward. She was fleeing from the Dreadfort and a forced marriage to Roose Bolton's bastard son. She was rescued from the Boltons by Ramsay's servant, a man named Reek. You may know him better as Theon Greyjoy."
Asha was quaffing some ale when he told her he had Theon. The ale flew from her mouth and out of her nose as the shock. When she finally got her coughing under control she practically screamed out at him, "Theon is alive and here?!"
Jon simply smirked at her. From the corner of his eye he could see that his smirk was mirrored on Arya's face as well. Jon answered her, "He is. He was captured by Roose Bolton's bastard and turned into a sort of slave. But now he is here at Winterfell and he shall answer for his crimes to me."